Paul & Sabrina's cheap DIY 144v motor controller

[caspar21]

Originally Posted by jyanof

ya, phx is nice right now with highs in the low 80s! my batteries are liking it too and are showing a little more 'umph'.

wow.. the only way we get those temps up here is if something is in thermal runaway..

[bigh]

Originally Posted by MPaulHolmes

Awesome!
Eat what you CAN, and what you CAN'T you CAN...

One of the things I like about CAN is that various nodes can come in and out (actively unplugged and plugged in) and the network doesn't care unless you tell it to care. Oh man, I have to go get on an airplane! Joe wrote, so we'll try to meet up with him! ya! That will be fun!

Thats right it'll be an easy way to add features to the open source controller, allowing the central controller's design to be set in stone, adding nodes and updating the software where required

God thats exciting.

[Flatmann100]

Hi guys, still working on it, trying to make things go. I'll just put it out there for everyone to see. Just in case others run into the things I have when building a controller.

I have not been able to get Realterm to work because of the com port issues. I have a PCMCIA adapter coming but that's a few days away. While I was waiting I tried the USB again and have some success communicating.

After trial and frustration I can use RTD explorer on Comport23. Go figure.

I have changed the PC-time to 040, and the contractor closes.

Still no go.

I went back and reread the thread from about page 150 and have since checked to see if the rise rate is set to 006, and it is.

Watching RTD with throttle, PWM, and DEBUG graphed it looks like everything is following correctly as the throttle input increases the PWM is right there with it.

So, am I seeing the control section functioning properly up to firing the FETS?

The next place I am going to look is for the signal to and from "U7".

Oh,the LEDs are solid, the motor connections have been double checked. Volts are at the controller at B+. This is only a 12V test to see that everything is functioning properly.

I sure hope I didn't miss something simple.

Fire away!!!

[Flatmann100]

I am reading 0-8-0 volts when I go from off throttle to full at the gate leads to the FETS......

[jyanof]

Originally Posted by Flatmann100

I am reading 0-8-0 volts when I go from off throttle to full at the gate leads to the FETS......

8 volts? is this the voltage from gate pin to source pin? This should be 12V (assuming you get to wide open PWM so the duty cycle is 1). Perhaps your 12V source to the controller board is weak? Is the output from the DCDC a full 12V?

are your wheels off the ground?

The controller can display all the settings. Not sure what it is in RTDexp, but from a terminal I think you just press Enter. Can you share what all the settings are?

[Flatmann100]

Yeah, I think the voltage is too low. I've connected my charger to battery although it shows 12V. The wheels are off the ground. I am taking the reading at the gate lead before the resistor to the FET. What is interesting is that the 8V is only momentary then drops off to zero. I thought to stay wide open the 12V had to be present all the time at the FETS.

I will check my DC-dc next.

[jyanof]

to which ground are you measuring the 8V? the controller ground is different than the gate ground (assuming you're using different 12V batteries to power the controller and connect to B+, B- bus bars... which you should use 2 batteries, even though I think it'll still work otherwise).

the gate pins would be referenced to the output ground which is the B- bus bar. Yes, this should be a constant 12V if the FETs are wide open.

[Flatmann100]

Joe, I am testing at say GR1 to any of the other GR's and the ground of the control board. I also Tested 8V at "R21" Resistor before I went to the gates.

Battery pack is totally separate.

I have the power LED on.

Would I not see a "UVFail" signal at pin 11? If the output from the DC-DC was bad?

[jyanof]

Originally Posted by Flatmann100

Joe, I am testing at say GR1 to any of the other GR's and the ground of the control board. I also Tested 8V at "R21" Resistor before I went to the gates.

Battery pack is totally separate.

I have the power LED on.

Would I not see a "UVFail" signal at pin 11? If the output from the DC-DC was bad?

Ya you should... the 8V thing is weird... I'm still not sure if you're using the right ground reference. can you measure the voltage across pins 1 and 4 on the mosfet driver, u7?

[Flatmann100]

I was going to do that as my 1st check but switched to R21 to negative/ground instead. Then went on to the gate checks.

As for today I've run out of time. Getting ready to head for work. I'll go over what I have checked today with a couple of guys at work.

Tomorrow that's what I'll check and confirm.

It is weird, the LED's on the RTD explorer looking like the control board is working properly. The Weirdness of the 8V needs to be cleared up.

I'll be back later to see any other suggestions. I just won't be able to try them out till manana.

Mike